Spring wheel



Jul 31,1945. F. D. GOQDLAKE' 2 380,7 9

SPRING WHEEL Filed March 25, 1943 %JNVENTOR.

Myra/mar ATTORNEYS Patented July 31,1945

srnnvo WHEEL Frederick Dean Goodlake, Heth, Ark. Application March 25, 1943, Serial No. 480,513

1 Claim.

My invention relates to automotive vehicle wheels, and has among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved spring wheel.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a face view of a wheel partly in section in accordance with my invention, and

Figure 2 is an edge view partly in section.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, I make use of a hub-member Ill on which is mounted a rim body l2 through the medium of resilient spokes II. .A tire band 85 of good wear resisting properties is mounted on the "body I2. In cases where both the 'body l2 and the band I 6 are of metal, the hand may be shrunk on the body. I

Each spoke it comprises a hub pin it, a rim pin 20 and a compression spring 22. All the pins I! have dovetails 24 fitting in dovetail grooves 26 in a flange 28 extending circumferentially of the hub member ID, with the grooves paralleling the axis of rotation of the wheel. Pins 30 are driven into bores in the member ill at the ends of the dovetails to restrain the dovetaiis from sliding movement in the grooves. The

inner ends or the springs 22 rest on th dovetails 24.

Projections 32 are formed on the inner face of the-rim b'ody l2, and each projection is provided with a dovetail groove 34 to'receive a clovetail 36 on one of the pins 20. All the dovetails 38 have lengths corresponding to the width of the rim body I2, but the dovetails are restrained from endwise movement in the grooves 34 by two cover plates 38 and 40 hearing against the side facesof the loodyl2, The plates 38 and 40 coact with the hub and the rim body to provide a housing for the spokes. The outerends of the springs 22 bear on the dovetails 36, and-the-pins l3 and 20 are coaxial so long as the body I2 is concentric with the, hub ll.

The plate 40 is providedwith a central opening 42 to slip over the hub member ID and lie against a flange 44 at one end of the member Ill. Slots .46 are cut in the plate ill and communicate with the opening 42' to receive lugs 43 on the member In to securelyfasten this plate against relative rotation on the member. ID, sincethe brake. drum, indicated at 50, is fixed to this plate.

A central opening 52 is provide in the plate. 33 to receive one end of the member Ill, this ally conical contour with their base margins I plate lying against an annular shoulder 5! on the 7 body l2, this body may shift relatively tothe edge margins upon yieldingof the springs 22. The, plates 38 and 40 resist lateral shifting of the body l2, and the spring 22 are of such strength as to resiliently relate the rim body l2 to the hub structure it. The pins l8 and 20 are, spaced sufllciently' far apart axially to permit the necessary expansion and, contraction of the springs 22, but both sets of pins are sufficiently long to restrain the springs from excessive lateral flexing.

The dovetail connections between the pins l8 and 20 and their respective hub ill and body it provide a construction wherein the spokes it are easily and quickly assembled with the hub and the body. These spokes are effectively restrained from relative displacement longitudinall of the hub l0 and also with respect to the rimbody l2. Spokes of difierent load carrying capacities may be easily substituted by merely removing the plate 33 and one set of the pins 3th.

- Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

In a spring wheel having a hub and a rim body disposed circumferentially about the hub, a flange encircling and fixed on the hub, said flange having a plurality of circumferentially spaced dovetail grooves opening through the outer surface and extending axially of the hula.

a dovetail member sliclably fitted in each of said grooves and terminating short of the ends thereof, said flange having a radial tore opening into said groove'adjacent each end" of the lat:

ter, a pin removably titted in each bore and projecting outwardly thereof in position to abut each pins.

FREDERICKDEAN GOODLAKE. 

